Hard to believe Thanksgiving is this week. I will be invading my Mom’s in Maine for some great food and spending quality time with family! Whatever your plans, in my opinion the travelling itself, is NOT the biggest danger. After doing a little research these 3 dangers stand out -

#1 FIRE #2 FOOD #3 FURRY Friends

FIRE: Thanksgiving is one of the most active days for house fires. A couple dangers follow, but there are so many more! Frying your turkey, a tasty option, must be done carefully. Never put the fryer near a structure (home/shed or garage). Do not overfill the oil, remember “displacement” happens, once you lower in the bird! Grease and water do not mix, have a real fire extinguisher ready. Throwing water on a grease fire is going to spread the fire everywhere! Never leave any food unattended or out of sight, cooking on your stove. Foods could boil over causing a fire, and handles can be knocked causing burns to people/pets, or a fire.

FOOD: Defrosting your turkey incorrectly will cause bacteria to grow, and can make people ill, even cause death. Last year’s news come to mind, about the illnesses and deaths in CA. Please make sure to cook your bird to the proper temperature. No offense to “old school” Mom’s… but the “juices running clear” doesn’t mean it is done! BTW you CAN cook a frozen turkey, it just takes about 50% longer. Put all leftovers away before 2 hours is up, then take that nap! You can visit https://www.foodsafety.gov/ for a lot more info! Many foods are poison to animals, leading to my third concern…

FURRY FRIENDS: Alcoholic beverages should not be left where a pet can sip. My dog Charlie LOVES sweet drinks, and has gotten into everything from chocolate milk to wine! I learned really fast, just how high he can jump and climb, to enjoy these dangerous drinks. Foods like raw yeast/bread dough, chocolate (baking chocolate is the worst), dairy products, certain nuts, salty pretzels/chips can all cause illness, dehydration or worse. Some foods will cause an animal internal organ problems, seizures and lead to sickness or even death! Watch for foods with Xylitol, an extremely common sweetener, it’s in SO many foods, and it’s dangerous to animals. Check with your vet if you are uncertain on safe people foods to share with your four legged family member. My dog will be enjoying a taste of the “safe” foods for sure! You can visit https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/holiday-safety-tips for more info.

On a lighter note I thought in honor of the season I would share my favorite family tradition....Pumpkin Pie. But not just any pumpkin pie, a light and fluffy version of the classic! From my family to yours enjoy!